A non-binary elected politician in Worcester, Massachusetts, is taking a month off work after accusing fellow city council members of “misgendering” her and calling her “it.”
Thu Nguyen is taking time away to focus on her mental health after leveling the accusations against her colleagues, the Daily Mail reported on Thursday, noting she uses “they” and “them” pronouns.
However, her colleagues have claimed that any so-called “misgendering” was accidental.
An image reportedly shows Nguyen wearing a shirt that reads “Paying for People’s Abortions Is a Revolutionary Political Act”:
In a statement on Nguyen’s Instagram account posted on Wednesday, the Worcester City Counselor-at-Large wrote:
It is unfortunate, as we transition under a Trump administration and exponential increase of fear experienced by the LGBTQ+ community that I, as a City Councilor At-Large of Worcester, had to file a complaint to our Executive Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion about my experience in the past 3 years of dealing with transphobia and a discriminatory and toxic council culture, being misgendered by Mayor Petty and Councilor At-Large Toomey publicly on the council floor and recently learning that District 2 Councilor Mero-Carlson has been referring to me as “it” multiple times. I have formally requested for the City of Worcester’s Chief Equity Officer to open an immediate investigation and create an action plan to address this matter.
However, Petty has countered Nguyen’s claims, saying they came about after officials decided to mandate in-person attendance for meetings.
“On Tuesday Petty asked for the Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee to hold a public hearing on officials attending hearings remotely,” the Mail report continued.
Nguyen is accused of missing half of the traffic and parking subcommittees and of not holding a meeting for another subcommittee she apparently chairs.
Petty said, “Failing to participate in these essential responsibilities is unacceptable. I will not apologize for holding myself and my colleagues accountable to the responsibilities entrusted to us by the people we serve.”
Nguyen claims it was not safe for her to go to in-person meetings, per WCVB.
“I really, really wished I felt safe enough to show up on the council floor. But I don’t. I have faced transphobia with being misgendered and recently learned that I have been dehumanized to a point where I’m being referred to as ‘it’ by my colleagues on this council,” she commented:
Petty has since said he has always worked to treat his colleagues with dignity and respect, adding, “I would never knowingly say anything harmful, and I firmly believe everyone deserves the dignity of having their identity honored and respected.”
